The James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Fellowship Award, established in 2008, supports the post-residency training of clinicians committed to careers in academic medicine specializing in rare neuro-immune disorders of the CNS (e.g., TM, ADEM, NMOSD, and ON) clinical care and research.

This program supports up to two years of clinical care and research training in an environment where clinicians learn to use the most current scientific tools to treat and advance knowledge about rare neuro-immune disorders.

After completing the program, Fellows are prepared for a combined clinical and research career, directing robust research programs important to TM, ADEM, NMOSD, and ON in their clinical department. The number of the James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Fellowships awarded will be based on the availability of funds to support this program.

We are pleased to announce The 2015 James T. Lubin Clinician-Scientist Fellowship Award to Dr. Michael Sweeney under the mentorship of Dr. Stacey Clardy at The University of Utah. Dr. Sweeney completed his undergraduate degree in biological sciences with a focus on neuroscience at Purdue University. Following completion of medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin, he entered into a combined pediatrics and child neurology residency/fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. There, he focused his efforts into learning to manage both common and rare neurologic diseases in children. He developed clinical and research interests in immune-mediated neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, transverse myelitis, optic neuritis and antibody mediated encephalitis. He also worked closely with medical students and residents, demonstrating a strong dedication to education.

Dr. Sweeney began his Fellowship at the University of Utah in July 2015 to receive further training within this field in order to better understand the disease processes and how to provide the best possible care to these patients. Following completion of this fellowship, as a clinician-researcher, Dr. Sweeney hopes to start a clinic in which children with neuro-immune diseases will receive multidisciplinary care. As part of the Fellowship, Dr. Sweeney proposes to conduct research to evaluate the neurologic and neuropsychiatric outcomes in pediatric patients who have previously been diagnosed with an immune-mediated disease affecting the central nervous system. By evaluating the outcomes in these patients, he hopes to identify potential modifiable factors or treatment paradigms, which are associated with better outcomes. This will lay the groundwork for future prospective studies to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments. Dr. Sweeney will be joining a training program with a strong basic and clinical science background and a highly motivated and dedicated team at The University of Utah under Dr. Stacey Clardy’s mentorship and leadership to improving patient care and to furthering the field of neuro-immunology though intensive research efforts.

“I am truly grateful to become involved in this fellowship. Through this unique opportunity, I will have a once in a lifetime chance to train with leaders in the field and to become part of this small community. I hope to gain knowledge and skills from mentors across the country in order to better serve patients with immune-mediated neurologic disorders. This intensive training will include not only diagnosis and management of the acute neurologic issues, but also long-term management and rehabilitation. I am excited to also become involved in areas of research, which will further the field and ultimately lead to better care and outcomes in these children. “

Dr. Michael SweeneyFellowship Recipient

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with The Transverse Myelitis Association. This will be a fantastic and unique training opportunity for Dr. Sweeney, allowing him not only the invaluable opportunity to participate in transverse myelitis (TM) camp, but it will also broaden his knowledge base regarding the treatment and care of transverse myelitis patient at two other leading academic centers in addition to the University of Utah. Owing to this fellowship, he will have unique expertise in the care of both adults and children with TM.”

Dr. Allen DeSena attended medical school at Loyola-Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, IL, located in the greater Chicago area. From there, he went on to complete a residency in general pediatrics in New Orleans, LA at the Tulane-Ochsner pediatric program, and he earned his board certification in general pediatrics in 2009. Following his general pediatrics training, he moved to Dallas, TX, where he completed a residency in pediatric neurology at UT-Southwestern Medical Center in conjunction with Children’s Medical Center-Dallas and Parkland Memorial Hospital. During that time, his interest in transverse myelitis and other neuro-immunologic disorders blossomed, and he pursued further training in those areas. In 2012, he was the recipient of the first James T. Lubin fellowship award from the TMA to pursue a clinical and research career in transverse myelitis and other related disorders mentored by Dr. Benjamin Greenberg, Director of the TM and NMO Centers at UTSW in Dallas. He is the first pediatric neurology fellow to study the rare spectrum of neuro-immunological disorders, with a particular focus on Transverse Myelitis. Currently he is an Assistant Professor in the University of Cincinnati Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine in Ohio.